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Show "It is easier to admire hard work A if you don't do it." Anonymous. The Daily Herald 18 Sunday, October 30, 1994 Faulty Initiative A would shoot Utah in the foot There has been strong criticism of Initiative A of late. That's good. Initiative A asks voters to decide on two different issues simultaneously term limits and runoff elections. Something seems odd about this combination. The fact that two entirely unrelated proposals are tied together in one initiative, demanding a single up or down vote on both, is bothersome. Utah already has a term limits law that will go into effect in January. It's a good law that provides for term limits only after at least half of the other states pass legislation. Why then the need for another term limits law? Well maybe it's because the concept of term limits is popular of it's the cure-aamong voters choice to cover for America's lack of voter discipline. So in Utah, if almost everyone wants term limits, politicians proposing such legislation (even if it already exists) can't help but look good. Or so they think. In this light, Initiative A makes perfect sense. Supporters of Initiative A say, well, yes, Utah already has term limits, but this initiative will make for even better term limits. It will, they say, "send a message to Washington." Will it really? Initiative A's term limits proposal, which would affect Utah's national as well as state representatives, is a forceful statement, to be sure. But is it wise to unilaterally hamstring our government representatives just to make a statement? If other states do not enact term limits legislation, Initiative A would forever after handicap our legislators in regard to theirability to gain positions of influterm-limi- ts ll ence; in Washington. Utah certainly doesn't need that. Who would be persuaded to favor term:limits just because one Western state Ishoots its own representatives in the foot? The very fact that Initiative A would fm0uo 1 Ilciald Comment JcffuM limits completely exempt from term limits all of Utah's politicians holding office as of April 15, 1993, is further evidence that it cannot be taken seriously. And what of the runoff proposal? At first glance, it seems harmless enough. What could be more democratic than having run-o- elections between two ff candidates so that the winner will al- 40-se- at ranfc$.- - this specter is being suggested by one of President Clinton's closest political former California Rep. Tony Coelseveral senior political strategists. and ho, CoeJho told us during a recent interview: !'The odds are the Democratic caucus will be more liberal because the moderates ire the ones that have close races and are losing.... You're going to have the (Dem- ri, ocratic) conservatives demanding a bigger voice. The liberals will have a bigger percentage of the caucus and will be demanding Jtnat you stay the narrow path." The result, Coelho added may be that "you wonl have the votes to put things through withiji your own caucus. " a lib;Pep. Jim McDermott, eral and a close ally of House Speaker concurs with Thomas Foley, Cindho's outlook. "(The 104th Congress is) going to be one of the toughest sessions, I jthink, in 50 years," says McDermott. numbers "Whoever wins the 218 has and (seats) plus one game will essentially be struggling to govern the wjiolc time." McDermott frets that Republicans will team up with Democratic conservatives to steer the agenda away from things he's been pushing, like health ca're reform. ;The coming upheaval reached critical mass because of two dynamics, says Norman Ornstein, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. First, the activism in the Republican party tends to be more on the ideologically conservative side, just as the activism in the Democratic party tends to be more on the liberal side. Second, redisricting has left many congressional districts friendly to liberals. Political analyst Charles E. Cook also sees Democrats losing moderate voices through retirements and defeats. "They aren't going to lose many liberals," says Cook. "So the center of gravity within the Democratic caucus is going to move sharply left." - t cote vl mmnmnrammemufe 'y O IX J) WfcrM GOV v W Mil Www! sVKJtwK inou rum? sections waiting for a runoff in which low voter turnout is characteristically very low. These candidate could receive more than 50 per- cent of the vote but that vote certainly would not represent the masses. In truth, runoffs are easily manipulated by certain candidates who manage to mobilize small but loyal voting blocs. So besides the fact that run-oelections will be expensive, cumbersome, will generate lawsuits and will make Utah's already too long election season go on even longer, the fact is that Initiative A's runoff proposal will help only one kind of candidate: someone with money to burn, a small, devoted bloc of supporters and the drive ff to be elected to something anything no matter how many elections it takes. Initiative A is poorly written and asks Utahns to make an unwise, irresponsible, redundant choice for term limits, and then accept a lousy runoff election plan as part of the deal. Both proposals in Initiative A are unneces- sary, deceptive, self-servin- and g wrongheaded. Speaking of the aftermath of a nuclear waJv'Nikita Khrushchev once said: "The midterm elections. Even if Democrats survive a Republican onslaught and retain their numerical majority, the victory will be one of the most hollow in the history of the House of Representatives. The casualty count goes beyond the number of seats the Republicans gain oh the Democrats, who currently hold a advantage: The House Democratic Caucus will emerge balkanized and conservatives because are moderates facing a meltdown in their uowMAfJy ways receive at least 50.1 percent of the vote? As some supporters of Initiative A claim, runoffs would "uphold the most basic ideals of the American political process." But is that really the case? Think how many candidates could win by Democrats face trouble, win or lose election day liviiig will envy the dead. " A political corollary to that chilling statement may be in the making for House Dcin5)crats the morning after the Nov. 8 J i c a M A f7 Jack Anderson Syndicated Columnist Under one scenario spun by Coelho, the Democratic caucus could be thrown into chaos if the Democrats lose more than 25 seats, which is within the range he's predicting. Others like Cook are forecasting a blow-oof as many as 35 seats. "Twenty-fiv- e warns Coelho. (losses) is the "Once you get over 25 you're starting to ask for trouble. The closer you get to 40 you could have defections (to the GOP). Or say you get to 30, you could have a coalition set up where Democrats and Republicans get together and organize the House in a unity ticket.... You could have Democrats bolt the party and for a coalition government with Republicans." Coelho even believes House Minority the DemoWhip Newt Gingrich, crats' chief nemesis, could be elected House Speaker even if the GOP falls 10 seats shy of winning a numerical majority ut cut-off- in the House. ," A Gingrich spokesperson dismissed Coelho's conjecturing as being "in the zone of political science fiction" and "on the extreme edge of plausibility." The lesson for Coelho is Democrats must cement their ties to conservatives or face an even within their own party He added that base. of their further erosion "the president is good at this stuff (ironing out differences with rebellious Democrats). But from day one it's going to be different than the last two years. " "(The Democratic leadership) will have to deal with them, because if they don't, the conservatives will team up with Republicans and control everything. Depending on the number of (lost) seats, you are getting to the point where it could be like 198' 82, where the conservatives and the Republicans controlled the House votes." Coelho says Gingrich is already working to induce Democratic defections to the GOP, and acknowledged that some conservative members of the party might bolt if Republicans get close. Coelho added that there's not much President Clinton can do at this point to dam the defections. "He's got to be careful at this point," Coelho said. "I think you start making those phone cal I s on Nov . 9 . " kottoss Hotel tax benefits all Jerry Graver's views on tourism, I believe, indicate a misunderstanding of the hotel tax. He plans to cut costs to county citizens by rescinding the head tax. Utah County residents do not pay the tax. It is a tax on visitors (tourists) who stay overnight in Utah County at a motelhotel. This tax provides benefits for both the visitor and Utah County . The Utah County Travel Council prepares pamphlets that assist the visitors enjoy their stay. Information is available on restaurants, activities, museums, scenic drives, fishing, biking, walking and entertainment. These pamphlets are made available to hotelsmotels and businesses that are involved with visitors. The information provided increases the visitor's understanding of Utah Valley and may create a more favorable impression of the area. Even Utah County residents might take advantage of material prepared for themselves or their guests. By providing the visitors with information, it helps businesses as well as residents. The suggestion of a restaurant, a visit to a fine museum (the Springville Arts Museum), a scenic drive and or other attractions and activities brings additional income to the businesses. They may create additional sales for gas stations, more restaurant business, additional visits to a museum and rounds of golf. When groups hold meetings in Utah Valley, they are provided with information about services available for printing, personnel, etc., encouraging them to patronize Utah Valley businesses. In addition, the tax monies are used to attract visitors to Utah Valley through selected advertisements, encouraging organizations to sponsor events such as the Nike Tour and the Utah Valley State College Auto Expo, and hosting visiting groups of travel writers and representatives of organization that sell travel to the public in other areas. The Travel Council works with the film industry promoting Utah Valley and encouraging the selection of the area as a shooting site. To date in 1 994, film companies reported $2.5 million expenditures in Utah Valley. The Utah Travel Council by providing the visitors with information that would make their stay more satisfying, increases revenue to the country and helps residents to be aware of leisure services available in the county. TLs is a very important function all paid for by a small room tax by the visitor. Finally, the small room tax in Utah Country of three percent is not a burden. Room taxes in many areas such as Las Vegas, San Diego, Orlando, Denver, Columbus, Seattle and New York City range from seven to 19.25 percent. It is so common that all visitors are accustomed to paying. It is a win-wi- n situation for both the visitors and the residents of Utah County. Lloyd E. Hudman Provo 'Enviro' group a threat During the 1980s, the Bureau of Land Management inventoried all the public lands in Utah to determine which lands might qualify to be locked as wilderness reservations. Some lands were salvaged from this process, either because they had human imprints that "destroyed" their wilderness character, or because there was significant natural resource potential such that locking the land up represented too great a cost for the nation in terms of lost energy minerals. Turtle Mountain in the Book Cliff Mountains southeast of Price was one of the areas saved during the ReaganBush years from the Federal Central Planners, because it is known to sit over the coal seams that have sustained Carbon County economy for gen erations. In 1991, the Utah Wilderness Association wailed that the move "reek(ed) of a single minded, single use mentality", and joined with the Sierra Club Legal Defense and slap the Fund to reverse Reagan-Bus- h wilderness shackles back on Turtle Mountain. Enter the regime that believes we should "abandon the con'' cept of private property and move toward a more "communitarian sense" of property ownership. Mr. Babbitt has determined that "we the people" do not need the coal lying beneath Turtle Mountain. He has reversed Reagan-Bus- h and ordered that the 27,690 acres that contain billions of tons of coal be designated as a wilderness "study" area. With the federal coal locked up as a consequence of socialist land policy, then the coal under interspersed school trust lands of over 7,700 acres becomes worthless as well. This is a small selfless gesture by our environmentalist leaders on behalf of the Utah Public Education. A much more :;ignificani contribution to Utah education was elimination of the economic values of 32 sections of school trust lands or 20,400 acres on the Alton Coal Fields. In this case the federal land, along with the state lands disbursed within it, was locked up because some "enviro"might see the mine portal from the high ground to the north in Bryce Canyon. These are two classic points where the finger of guilt can be pointed directly at the environmental factions working here in Utah. These two coal fields had the potential to pour into the Utah tax coffers, excess bilions of dollars to include the employment of several thousand employees and support groups. Every property taxpayer, every individual that has children attending public schools, every person that draws a paycheck from the education system should come to understand that these operating enviro factions working in Utah could care less about the working people and their welfare. If the Kaiparowitz Coal field were to be added to Turtle Mountain coal deposit, and the Alton coal field to this established loss, the combined total loss in potential economic dollars would be greater than that of what Hill Field contributes to the Utah economy. May they freeze to death walking in the dark. PaulL. Young St. George Clinton-Babbitt-Go- re The choice is Alfred's A prior letter (author's Name Withheld) seems to exaggerate a portion of a speech by Joseph Smith in order to support those who would preach against established doctrine, and still seek membership in the organization they are attacking. William Clayton's journal quotes Joseph Smith, in substance, assaying: Er (Elder) (Pelatiah) Brown ... has preached concerning the beast which was full of eyes before and behind and for this he was hauled up for trial. I never thought it was right to call up a man and try him because he erred in doctrine... I want the liberty of believing as I please, it feels so good not to be tramelled. It don V prove that a man is not a good man, because he errs in doctrine. The High Council undertook to censure and correct Er (Elder) Brown because of his teachings in relation to the beasts, and he came to me to know what he should do about it (The Words of Joseph Smith, pp. 183-184- ). Joseph Smith supports personal belief, although I cannot see that he is very emphatic and unhappy with the church leadership. He says that we shouldn't find fault with Brown because at least his confounding teachings made the sectarian scholars look foolishT Joseph Smith actually laughs at Brown's misinterpretation, then states "You missed it that time, old man ..." The heated situation diffused, Joseph goes on to ' correct the false doctrine and provide the accurate translation. In his conclusion, he1' warns: Never meddle with the visions of beasts ': and subjects you do not understand. Er(Eld- er) Brown when you go to Palmyra dont say anything about the beast, but preach those things the Lord told you to preach and baptism for the remission of sins. Another letter to the editor pointed out have ' even leaders that other members made retracted false interpretations that they on occasion, and were not disciplined. Janice Allred is not under council for having ' personal beliefs in deep doctrines which the church has not hitherto explained. Instead, she preaches things which she admits are the opposite of known church doctrine, even after she was informed of her error. From what little we know of the results of the hearings, she still seems to be given a chance to correct her ways, as Joseph Smith gave ' Elder Brown. If she is unable to accept the chastisement, she might leave the church. This would be the merciful solution, as she would not be ' held eternally responsible for a doctrine which she does not believe. However, if Janice Allred instead chooses to view this as a learning experience and corrects her error; ' she has the opportunity to come forth strong- -' er than ever in the gospel, retaining both membership and respect. As to what will finally occur, it is between the Lord, Janice Allred and the leaders of the church. E. MarkLeany Orem ; about,-repentanc- e Church is just fine I would like to comment on the Tom Davies' article of Oct. 20, wherein he attempts to explain how the leaders of the Mormon Church maintain absolute control over its members. Now, there is an oxymoron "to believe that 15 men can exercise complete control over 9,000,000 people. ' ' From time to time, we hear of sects-- ' whose leaders maintain absolute control over their people, but they seldom grow' over a few hundred, and never last very long. No, the leaders of The Church of Jesus Saints lead, and the Christ of Latter-da- y followers follow of their own free will,' because there is something of substance and value there that the world is jealous of. And, when dissention occurs, the news media ' jumps on it with both feet and milks it for all it is worth, because that is what the people want, and it sells. If you compare, objectively, the trouble ' in this church with what is happening in other churches of the world, and ask your- - , self why this church is growing at such a ' phenomenal rate while other churches throughout the world are struggling for ' membership, the thinking person must come to a different conclusion than Mr. Davies would lead you to. Vern Hurst ' Orem' Letters and guest opinion policy The Daily Herald welcomes letters to the editor. Address letters to Letters to the Editor, POBox 717, Provo, Utah, 84603. Letters must be signed and include the writer's-- ' full name, address and a daytime phont number for verification. ., Letters should be typed, double spaced,' . and less than 400 words in length. Letters , are usually published on a first come first . ,'. served basis. r |